I put on some hard saddlebags today

[bscrive]

I decided that I need lockable saddlebags, so I went to ebay, and bought some nice bags for $300.  I got them put on today, and I am pretty happy with them.  They look exactly like the ones Mutazu sells, but these have a 1 piece bottom, and the sides are thicker.  I don't know the litre size for them, but they seem big enough, and they should work fine for me.  I did want to get a fibreglass set, but I couldn't find anything that I liked, and that would suit the bike.  These seem to match the back end of my bike perfectly.

[_Sheffjs_]

    Nice fit!  Like they were made for it!!

[dinosnake]

Very nice!  Can you take a straight-on side profile shot of it?

Can you give us any more information about your bags?  Seller's name or store name, name of bag style, etc?

[Jess from VA]

Very nice.  

They fit the lines of the bike very well (and kind of match up with the big radiator pods).

When those bags first came out (or the basic design), they were offered by Yamaha as OE aftermarket (but without the rear and side reflectors/lights) and I put them on my wife's 1100 Custom V*.  I had to relocate her turn signals.

Shallow but wide and roomy and easy loading with the lids swinging outward, and you can stack stuff in them well above the lid edges.  Yamaha wanted a lot more money.  Careful cutting sharply around fixed objects and car bumpers.

Found some old shots.

[goldstar903]

How is it for the passenger? My wife is 5' - nothing.

[Fla. Jim]

Very nice look,helps balance out those air pods. 

[havoc]

right on, looks great! 

[hungryeye]

nice job

[bscrive]

How is it for the passenger? My wife is 5' - nothing.

No issues.  They sit far enough back, so they don't interfere with the passenger.

I will post a side picture, and a front picture tonight.

[wiggydotcom]

They look BETTER than the Corbins, imho. You made an excellent choice, bscrive!

[ledany]

Very nice and cheap ! 
But how do you fix these bags ?

[specialdose]

      The bags look very nice. Really compliment the lines of the bike.

[bscrive]

Very nice and cheap ! 
But how do you fix these bags ?

I use the Honda brackets that fit onto the handles.  Made my own brackets to hold the bags, and attach to the Honda brackets.  I used heavy wire mesh that they use for shelving, and welded on pieces of metal to attach the bags to as well as angle iron to attach the top part to the Honda brackets.  I also put a small piece of flat iron from the bottom of the bracket to the muffler hanger, so that the bottom of the bags would be held solid.  I will post some pictures tonight. 

[bscrive]

Here is what the bike looks like from the front





Here is one of the brackets on the bike.  Take note of the stabilizer bracket I put on that attaches to the muffler hanger bolt.  This makes the bracket solid.  On the top I used two 1-1/4" pieces of angle iron, one of which is welded to the bracket, and bolted to the other angle iron.  The other bracket is then bolted to the top Honda Bracket.

[Robert]

Those look really nice you did a good job with them. 

[The Dark Knight]

Those are awesome! I wonder if they make them in blue.

[bscrive]

I got them from this guy on eBay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Saddlebags-ABS-plactic-RS-Series-Top-Load-Hard-Saddle-Bags-with-led-tail-lights-/331640119691?hash=item4d374aa18b

Unfortunately, these RS bags only come in gloss black, and matte black.  They are the same bags that Mutazu sells, but are of better quality.  Although, Mutazu does have these bags in blue and red. 

Blue

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RS-Hard-Saddlebags-fits-most-ROAD-STAR-VTX-C90-VULCAN-V-650-1100-Shadow-900-Blue-/251789680601?hash=item3a9fd59fd9&vxp=mtr

Red

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RS-Motorcycle-Hard-Saddlebags-ROAD-STAR-VTX-C90-VULCAN-V-650-1100-burgundy-red-/231402375701?hash=item35e0a80a15&vxp=mtr

[spud]

Good looking bags. I have a blue 2014 Valkyrie.
I'll have to find someone to fabricate the mounting brackets.
I'll have them painted to match the blue of my bike.
Also I was wondering if the led lights on the bags
can be hooked up as running lights.
I think the rear of the Valk needs more visibility.
  Spud

[Robert]

You know with bscrive having some experience at making the mounting, I think there would be others willing to pay a few bucks to have a set or two made that they could use. Maybe even selling as a set bags and mountings.

[bscrive]

Good looking bags. I have a blue 2014 Valkyrie.
I'll have to find someone to fabricate the mounting brackets.
I'll have them painted to match the blue of my bike.
Also I was wondering if the led lights on the bags
can be hooked up as running lights.
I think the rear of the Valk needs more visibility.
  Spud

I was thinking of hooking up the tail lights as running/stop, but with the problems they had trying to get the front signal lights to work with the SoCal LED fog lights, I just decided not to bother.  They do come with three wires though, and say you can hook them up for turn signals.

[hungryeye]

Good looking bags. I have a blue 2014 Valkyrie.
I'll have to find someone to fabricate the mounting brackets.
I'll have them painted to match the blue of my bike.
Also I was wondering if the led lights on the bags
can be hooked up as running lights.
I think the rear of the Valk needs more visibility.
  Spud

I think you can buy the 2 piece Honda brackets for less than if you paid someone to make them, bscrive should verify this. I have the whole Honda set up, I think any flat sided bag would bolt right up to the Honda stuff.

[dinosnake]

I think you can buy the 2 piece Honda brackets for less than if you paid someone to make them, bscrive should verify this. I have the whole Honda set up, I think any flat sided bag would bolt right up to the Honda stuff.

I think so too.  The Honda saddlebag brackets look just like any other 'loop frame-style' saddlebag brackets for almost any other bag; I think anything with a flat back will / can / could be mounted right up without any hassle at all.

[bscrive]

My new bags would bolt right on the Honda bag mounts.

[Dublflush]

Hi bscrive. Just checking out your bags and brackets. They look great! I too am going to fabricate my own bag stays. Wondering how much clearance you ended up with between the bag and the widest part of the fender using the 1 1/4 angle iron?? Thanks.

[dinosnake]

Hi bscrive. Just checking out your bags and brackets. They look great! I too am going to fabricate my own bag stays. Wondering how much clearance you ended up with between the bag and the widest part of the fender using the 1 1/4 angle iron?? Thanks.

His grid stay is still attached to the standard Honda upper bracket, from which creates the necessary spacing between the fender and the bag.

http://powersports.honda.com/images/accessories/c106_116_accessories_all/pop_ups/08L70-MJR-670.jpg

[bscrive]

Hi bscrive. Just checking out your bags and brackets. They look great! I too am going to fabricate my own bag stays. Wondering how much clearance you ended up with between the bag and the widest part of the fender using the 1 1/4 angle iron?? Thanks.

The closest I come to the fenders is about 1/2".  I wanted them as close as possible, and they have never touched the fender.

[Dublflush]

Thanks guys. I did purchase the upper brackets already. It seems like those are probably a must have for me. Hondas bracket and attachment kits are priced really high! Hopefully my butcher work will be hidden behind my nice new hardbags!

[Dublflush]

Thanks for the info bscrive and also your pics!